1. Field of Invention
The invention relates to sporting equipment and more particularly to a portable soccer goal.
2. Brief Description of Related Art
Portable soccer goals have found a need in the art and have been described, for example, in the U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,127,272; 5,080,375; 5,186,469; and 5,273,292. Although these patents describe many improvements in the art of portable soccer goals, there remains a need for still further improvements, particularly in respect to safety features for the protection of players and public. For example, recently (December 1995) the European Committee for Standardization has set forth physical specifications for materials and dimensions of which football (soccer) goals are manufactured. The standard, European Standard EN 748: 1995, requires among other things that the goal have sufficient stability to resist a horizontal force of 1 100N at the top of the center of the goal crossbar for 1 min .sup.+10.sub.-O S. by not falling over or sliding on the ground surface. Although the standard is not applicable or mandated for goals used in the Americas, it highlights the interest in improving safety features for goals.
For example, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Committee (USCPSC) has determined that portable official soccer goals should be anchored or counterweighted at all times. For this purpose, several portable goal anchors are commercially available. For example, Jayfro, 976 Hartford Turnpike, Waterford, Conn. 06385 makes available auger style anchors, spike anchors, J-Hook stakes and sleeve anchors for anchoring portable soccer goals. In spite of the wide variety of anchor systems available, they are generally not fully employed for as many reasons as there are systems. More specifically, the particular anchor selected must be matched to the type of ground surface upon which the soccer goal is to be anchored. Sandy soils require a different anchor than hard clay soils. Rocky soils are difficult to drive an anchor into. An Astroturf.RTM. surface is subject to damage by any anchor system. Anchors are subject to loss in high grass. Most importantly, the time and labor involved in anchoring a goal, moving the goal to a new location and re-anchoring it inhibits their use. There is a tendency on the part of the play supervisors to neglect the proper installation of a ground anchor system.
The exploitation of counterweights to anchor portable soccer goals has heretofore been limited to the use of sandbags or excessively heavy units of limited portability. This too has disadvantages in that sandbags require maintenance, protection from the weather elements and can easily be lost or subjected to misuse in handling.
The portable goals of the present invention are relatively light and readily portable. They need not be anchored to the ground, but because of their weight distribution design, they resist tipping over and resist being pushed along the ground surface.